10 tips to prevent birth defects

Take folic acid supplements at least one month before pregnancy, do not take any medication on your own...

Here are 10 things to keep in mind for women who are preparing for pregnancy or are pregnant:

1. Prenatal check-up. The doctor will review the health problems of the future mother to avoid affecting the baby later. For example, if the mother is using acne medication, has a medical condition that requires long-term treatment...

2. Find risk factors for genetic diseases. Some genetic diseases are passed down from parents to children and subsequent generations. Therefore, it is necessary to plan to find the disease and the possibility that the child may inherit it, and whether it can be treated...

3. Take daily vitamins, most importantly 0.4 mg of folic acid before and during pregnancy. Folic acid is a form of vitamin that helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects in children. To be effective, folic acid should be taken at least one month before pregnancy. If you have had a pregnancy with a neural tube defect, you should continue taking folic acid throughout the first 3 months of pregnancy.

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4. Use medication with caution. Do not buy any medication to take if you are pregnant or about to become pregnant. Tell your doctor that you intend to or are pregnant when prescribed medication. Do not assume that a medication is harmless. A medication that is proven safe during pregnancy today may be announced tomorrow as having an impact on the child's development and behavior later on, such as the easily available paracetamol.

5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and ideal weight. Obesity in mothers puts their children at risk of birth defects and congenital heart disease. Obesity also reduces the accuracy of ultrasound screening for fetal abnormalities, potentially missing fetal defects.

6. Don't drink alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to cause birth defects and mental retardation. There are currently no recommendations on how much alcohol to drink and what effects it has on the fetus, so it's best to stay away.

7. Prevent infection by getting vaccinated, keeping healthy, avoiding crowded places and places where epidemics are prevalent.

8. Learn more about the living environment and some harmful agents such as lead, mercury, radiation...

9. Avoid saunas or hot baths for too long. If you take a hot bath, only soak up to your shoulders, the water should not be too hot and the time should not exceed 15 minutes.

10. Have regular pregnancy check-ups and complete screening tests.

According to VNE